Printing apparatus for cylindrical objects



y 1968 D. E. FRERES $385,209

PRINTING APPARATUS FOR CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Filed Nov. 21, 1966 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVENTOE DOA/HAD 5.522255 y 1968 D. E. FRERES 3,385,209

PRINTING APPARATUS FOR CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Filed Nov. 21. 1966 5 SheetsSheet 2 F INVENTOE.

DON/94D E. Fez-es:

y 8, 1968 D. E. FRERES 3,385,209

PRINTING APPARATUS FOR CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Filed Nov. 21, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOQ- DOA/H40 5.595255 fi/A'zzw AIT FQN United States Patent 3,385,209 PRINTING APPARATUS FOR CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Donald E. Freres, Racine, Wis., assignor to Sterling Tool Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Nov. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 595,898 10 Claims. (Cl. 101-38) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for printing on cylindrical objects such as cans, bottles, or the like, and having means for positively rotating the unchucked cylindrical object and bringing it up to proper rotational speed prior to its being printed by an inked portion of a rotating printing cylinder.

Summary of the invention It is often desirable to print such a cylindrical object while its ends are free, that is, unchucked. It is also desirable to be able to print the object with a plurality of colors during one pass of a single printing cylinder. Such printing must be done at high speeds and with very accurate placing of the printed material, with no smearing.

Accordingly, the present invention provides improved printing apparatus for the printing of cylindrical objects, which apparatus includes an improved intermittently rotatable positioning means that positively and accurately positions the cylindrical object to be printed, and insures synchronized peripheral speeds between the object and the inked portion of the printing cylinder.

A more specific aspect of the invention relates to a means, independent of the inked portion of the cylinder, for drivingly rotating the object and bringing it up to proper rotational speed before printing occurs. More specifically, one form of this means is positively driven rollers which accurately position and support the object, and also rotate it in synchronism with the printing cylinder. Another means is an uninked portion of the printing cylinder itself.

The arrangement is such that the objects are rapidly loaded into printing position, brought up to proper speed before any printing takes place, accurately printed in multicolors Without smearing and with one Pass of the printing cylinder.

Another aspect of the invention relates to mounting means for the above means, which mounting means is resilliently mounted and can accommodate out-of-round objects and insure proper contact bet-ween the printing cylinder and object being printed.

Brief description of drawings These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinafter as this disclosure progresses, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a more or less schematic, side elevational view of printing apparatus made in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear view, on an enlarged scale, taken generally along line 2-2, in FIGURE 1, and showing only a portion of the apparatus of FIGURE 1, certain parts being shown in section, broken away or removed, for the sake of clarity in the drawings;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of a portion of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 1, certain parts being shown in section or broken away, for the sake of clarity;

"ice

FIGURE 3A is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the star wheels in a moved position;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken generally along line 4-4 in FIGURE 2, but on an enlarged scale and with certain parts being shown in section or broken away;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view, taken along 55 in FIGURE 3, but on an enlarged scale and showing the power driven support and drive roller for the object being printed.

The apparatus has been shown as constructed to feed and print two lines of cylindrical objects C, such as completed oil filters for automotive vehicles, but the invention can also be used for a single line, or for other numbers of separate lines of objects,

General Referring to FIGURE 1, the cylindrical objects C are fed by gravity down a loading chute LC and are arranged in pairs, in end to end relationship, and between guide strips 1 at each end of the object. The strips are fastened in any suitable manner to the general frame F of the apparatus. The flanges 2 at the base of the objects are located adjacent one another, so as to form two separate lines of objects which are fed into and through the apparatus.

The particular objects shown here for illustrative purposes are oil filters, but of course, may be other articles having ends of different shapes. The present invention requires no chucking or holding of the ends of the object to be printed, which is of considerable advantage in that the product may be completely formed and filled before printing the outside thereof. That is to say, the cylindrical objects are supported solely at their medial portion, i.e., on their periphery, leaving the ends of the cylindrical object free.

The objects are received in a loading starwheel L which has four ci-rcurnferentially spaced openings 3 in its ends 4 and 5. As the star-wheel L is formed in duplicate to accommodate two lines of objects and are identical, only one will be described. The ends 4 and 5 are rigidly connected together by bars 6 and are mounted on a shaft 7 for rotation therewith as a unit, This rotation is intermittent, as will appear. The arrangement is such that as the starwheel L rotates and one of its openings 3 is in the receiving position 3a shown in FIGURE 3A, an object drops into the opening for subsequent movement to the discharge position 3b and into the object supporting and rotating starwheel S.

The starwheel S forms the means for supporting and accurately positioning and rotating the object while the printing is performed on its periphery, as will appear later.

Drive means Drive means for rotating the various parts are as follows:

The starwheel S is also rotated intermittently on its tubular shaft 8, Shafts '7 and 8 have sprockets 7a and 8a fixed thereto and a chain 9 is trained around the sprockets so that the starwheels S and L are driven in timed relationship with one another through a sprocket 10 fixed to shaft 8 and a chain 11. Chain 11 in turn derives its power from sprocket 12 on shaft 13 which is driven from a conventional Geneva motion device G, through a gear reduction unit R. The Geneva device G thus provides the conventional start-stop motion to the starwheels S and L. When the starwheels are not rotating, the printing cylinder PC acts to impart the printing to the object, as will more fully appear later.

The power into the Geneva device is through the reducer R, sprocket 14 on shaft 140, chain 15 and sprocket 16 fixed on jackshaft 17. Shaft 17 is driven from a power source, such as an electric motor 2! through a timing 3 belt 21, pulley 22 and then through a gear box 23, sprocket 23a, chain 24 and sprocket 25 on shaft 17.

Power is furnished from the jackshaft 17 to the printing cylinder PC by the chain 3!) which is trained around sprockets 31 and 32 fixed, respectively, to jackshaft 1'7 and a shaft 33 on which the printing cylinder is fixed for rotation therewith.

With the power drive arrangement thus described, the electric motor 20 furnishes power to the Geneva device which drives the starwhcels with intermittent, start-stop, motion. The printing cylinder and its three color rolls 35, 36 and 37, which are all drivingly connected together by endless chain 38 trained around the respective sprockets 35a, 36a and 37a, are continually rotated.

Printing apparatus Conventional milling rollers 49 and ink wells 41 furnish the appropriate color to the blanket 42 of the printing cylinder PC.

The color rolls 35, 36 and 37 each deposit their own color on the same portion of the periphery of the printing cylinder blanket so the latter prints a complete, multicolored image on the object at one pass. The design of the image is such that the lines of one color do not cross or mix with the lines of different colors. A precise image of multi-colors is thus deposited, with no smearing of the image.

Positioning means Referring again to the starwheel S, it is formed to accommodate two lines of objects although a single or other number of lines could be used with the present invention. As shown, the starwheel S comprises outer members 50 and 51 (FIGURE 2) which have recesses 52 (FIGURE 3) around their periphery for the reception of the objects C. Nylon rollers 55 (FIGURES 1 and 2) are rotatably mounted adjacent the periphery of members 50 and 51 and protrude slightly beyond the recesses so the objects abut against these rollers for rotation thereagainst. Other nylon rollers 53 are centrally located and are axially aligned with rollers 55 and have a pair of peripheral grooves 54 formed therein for loosely receiving the flange 2 of the objects. These rollers 53 are rotatably mounted around the periphery of and between the central spider members 56 and 57. Members 56 and 57 are fixed together by bolts means 58 extending through rollers 53. Members 56, 57, t) and 51 are all fixed to shaft 8 for rotation as a unit in suitable anti-friction bearing assemblies 59 and 60 mounted in the frame members F1 and F2.

The objects deposited in starwheel S by the starwheel L r Resilient mounting Mounting means are also provided for resiliently urging the starwheels towards the printing cylinder and yieldingly holding the object with proper pressure against the cylinder. This means accommodates slightly out-of-round objects or other inaccuracies of manufacture, As shown in FIGURES 4 and 2, this mounting means comprises a pair of shiftable blocks 80 and 81, one at each side of the apparatus and guidingly mounted by pins 83 in the respective frame members F1 and F2. The mounting means is biased toward the printing cylinder PC by springs 84-, which provide for a cushioning effect and movement of the blocks away from the printing cylinder. Set screws 35 adjustably limit the extent of movement of the blocks toward the printing cylinder.

Shafts 7 and 8 are rotatably mounted in the mounting means, that is 8!} and 81, and thereby the positioning means S and loading means L can move together as a unit, that is toward and away from the printing cylinder. Suitable idler sprockets and tensioning means (not shown) may be provided for the various chains to insure proper tension therein at all times.

Positive drive rollers In one form of the invention, means are provided on the starwheel S for positively rotating the objects in synchronism with the printing cylinder. This means comprises a power driven roller 62 (FIGURE 5) which is fixed by set screw 62a on its shaft 63 along with a pinion gear 64 also fixed by key 64a on the shaft. The shaft is rotatably mounted in and between members 56 and 57 and radially inward of and between adjacent rollers 53. Rollers 62 are covered with resilient material, such as a urethane plastic )5 which has been found very suitable because of its good friction and Wear characteristics. Other material, such as rubber, neoprene or the like could also be used to provide the frictional driving surface which bears against the periphery of the object. The material 65 has a pair of grooves 66 for the reception of the flanges 2 of the objects C and this provides accurate positioning and good driving engagement of the objects by their periphery.

The pinions 64 are continually driven by the constant mesh, centrally located gear 68 which is fixed by a key 63a on a shaft 69 located and rotatably mounted in tubular shaft 3. Shaft 69 extends (as shown in FIGURE 2) to the outside of frame member F1 where a sprocket 70 is fixed thereon.

As indicated, shaft 69 is continually rotated on its bearings 72 and 73 within shaft 8 while the latter is driven with intermittent, start-stop motion. Shaft 69 receives its drive through chain 75 trained around sprocket 70 and another sprocket 76 fixed on jackshaft 17.

The jackshaft is continually driven, while the apparatus is in operation, to furnish continual drive to the printing cylinder and its color rollers and to the power driven rollers 62.

In operation, the objects are placed in the starwhcel recess 52 by the starwheel L when the recess 52 is in the receiving position 52a shown in FIGURE 3A, as the starwheel is being rotated by the Geneva unit, in the direction indicated by the curvilinear arrow. When the starwheel S stops in the printing position, an object C is directly under the printing cylinder. The printing cylinder shown has the printing blanket 42 extending around about one-half of its circumference, the remaining portion 43 of the continuously rotating cylinder being either an uninked portion of the blanket or comprising a filler member, or being left open or blank. In any event, the portion 43 is ineffective to do any printing and provides the time to load and unload the objects. The blanket 42 or other portion of the cylinder has an object accelerating or non-printing portion 87, which acts to engage the object first and push it snugly against the rollers 53 and 62 for accurate positioning and good driving contact so that the object is immediately brought up to proper speed before that portion of the blanket containing the ink contacts the object and any printing takes place. In other words, usually the weight of the object is insufficient to cause it to bear sufiiciently firmly against the power driven rollers to permit the latter to positively and accurately rotate the objects. The uninked portion of the printing cylinder acts to rotate the object and cause it to bear in accurate driving engagement with said cylinder.

In this manner, the object has been accurately positioned in printing position and brought up to proper rotational speed before any printing occurs.

Positive drive by uninked portion of printing cylinder up to synchronized peripheral speed with the printing cylinder and before the remaining or inked portion of the cylinder continues to drive the object and print it.

o,&

In this form of the invention, the rollers 62 and their continuous drive are eliminated, and the uninlred portion 37 0f the cylinder PC is used to first contact the unchucked object and urge it against its freely rotatable support rollers 53 and 55 and bring it up to rotational speed before the actual printing taking place.

Rsum

In either form of drive, there are means independent of the print portion of the cylinder for drivingly rotating the objects which are supported solely on their periphery. After the inked portion of the blanket has printed the complete, multi-color image in a single pass, the starwheels are again indexed and the printed objects fall from the starwheel into an exit chute 88, while the next object is loaded from the loading starwheel L for a repeat operation.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being without the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. High speed printing apparatus for printing on the periphery of cylindrical objects comprising, a continuously rotatable printing cylinder, intermittently rotatable positioning means for presenting a cylindrical object in printing relationship to said printing cylinder, said positioning means including support means for rotatably supporting said object by its periphery and leaving the end portions thereof free, and positively and continuously driven roller means on said positioning means for abutting against the periphery of the cylindrical object to positively rotate the object just prior to and during printing by said printing cylinder, said roller means being timed to synchronize the peripheral speed of the object with the peripheral speed of the cylinder, said printing cylinder arranged to hold the object firmly against said roller means.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further characterized in that said positioning means comprises an intermittently rotatable wheel, said support means includes freely rotatable rollers mounted on said wheel and arranged to be disposed on opposite sides of said cylindrical object for support of said object by its periphery and rotation thereof on said rollers.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further characterized in that said positively driven roller means includes a pinion gear, and a common central gear constantly meshing with said pinion gear for continuously driving the latter.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 further characterized in that said positively driven roller means includes a pinion gear, and a common central gear constantly meshing with said pinion gear for continuously driving the latter.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 further characterized in that said wheel is mounted on a tubular shaft, and including a driven shaft within said tubular shaft, and said common central gear is mounted on and driven by said driven shaft.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 further characterized in that said printing cylinder has a non-printing portion on its periphery which is timed to bear against said object and press it against said support means and roller means to thereby bring said object up to proper rosass tational speed before the remainder of the printing cylinder periphery contacts said object to print thereon.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 further characterized in that said printing cylinder has a non-printing portion on its periphery which is timed to bear against said object and press it against said support means and roller means to thereby bring said object up to proper rotational speed before the remainder of the printing cylinder periphery contacts said object to print thereon.

8. High speed printing apparatus for printing on the periphery of cylindrical objects comprising a continuously rotatable printing cylinder; intermittently rotatable positioning wheel means for presenting a cylindrical object in printing relationship to said printing cylinder, said positioning wheel means including support means for rotatably supporting said object by its periphery and in a free end position; positively and continuously driven roller means on said positioning means for abutting against the periphery of the cylindrical object; and means for continual rotating said printing cylinder and said roller means, in timed relationship to synchronize the peripheral speeds of said printing cylinder and said object, said printing cylinder having a non-printing peripheral portion arranged to press the object firmly against said roller means and said support means to thereby cause positive rotation of said object prior to and during printing by said printing cylinder.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 including resiliently biased mounting means for shiftably mounting said positioning means for movement toward and away from said printing cylinder, whereby said positioning means is resiliently urged toward said cylinder.

19. High speed printing apparatus for printing on the periphery of cylindrical objects comprising a rotatable printing cylinder; drive means for continuously rotating said cylinder; intermittently rotatable positioning wheel means for presenting a cylindrical object in printing relationship to said printing cylinder and including support means for rotatably supporting said object by its periphery and in a free end position; and resiliently biased mounting means for shiftably mounting said positioning wheel means for movement toward and away from said printing cylinder, whereby said positioning wheel means is resiliently urged toward said cylinder; a loading wheel means for loading objects in said positioning wheel means, and drive means connected between said positioning wheel means and said loading wheel means whereby said wheel means are driven in timed relationship with one another, both or" said wheel means being mounted in said mounting means for shifting together as a unit toward and away from said printing cylinder, and positively and continuously driven roller means on said positioning means for abutting against the periphery of the cylindrical object; said printing cylinder having a non-printing peripheral portion arranged to press the object firmly against said roller means and said support means to thereby cause positive rotation of said object prior to and during printing by said printing cylinder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,183,230 12/1939 Treece et a1. 101-376 XR 2,442,102 5/1948 Tenety 1014O XR ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

H. DINITZ, Assistant Examiner. 

